Container package and carrier



Aug. 9, 1966 o. J. POUPITCH 3,2 5,203

' CONTAINER PACKAGE AND CARRIER Filed Ot. 26, 1961 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 i' n n 55 INVENTOR. %&5& Ms

Aug. 9, 1966 O. J. POUPITCH CONTAINER PACKAGE AND CARRIER Filed Oct. 26, 1961 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 1957 36 8 54 INVENTOR.

nited States Patent 3,265,203 coN'rAiNnR PACKAGE AND CARRIER Ougljesa Jules Poupitch, Itasca, Ill., assignor to Illinois The present invention relates to a novel package and carrier therefor, and more specifically to a novel carrier adapted to be applied to a plurality of containers such as cans having beads or rims at ends thereof for retaining the containers in a package and facilitating handling of the package.

An important object of the present invention is to provide a novel package including a plurality of containers and a carrier therefor, which carrier is of one-piece constrnction and is adapted to engage and retain the containers within the package in an improved and more secure manner.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a novel-piece carrier for a plurality of containers such as cans and the like, which carrier is constructed so as to engage the containers in a manner which resists relative movement between the containers and the carrier whereby any possibility of accidental disassembly of a container from the carrier is reduced.

Still another important object of the present invention is to provide a novel carrier device which is constructed so as to facilitate rapid and economical assembly with a plurality of containers in a manner such that the assembly operation may be acomplished either by hand or by means of relatively simple apparatus.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a package including a plurality of containers or cans and a carrier incorporating features of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of the package shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line 3-3 in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line 44 in FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken generally along line 55 in FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a package incorporating a modified embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of the package shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary partial sectional view taken generally along line 8-8 in FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary bottom view of the modified carrier;

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary sectional view taken generally along line 1tl10 in FIG. 7; and

FIG. 11 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken generally along line 1111 in FIG. 7.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings wherin like parts are designated by the same numerals throughout the various figures, a package 10 incorporating features of the present invention is shown in FIG. 1 and includes a plurality of containers 12 and a one-piece carrier 14. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention the carrier 14 is adapted to be assembled with six of the containers 12, but it is to be understood that certain features of the present invention may be incorporated into ice packages having either a greater number of or fewer containers than the package shown. The containers 12 may be of various known constructions and, in the embodiment shown, the containers are in the form of cylindrical cans. Each of the containers or cans includes a radially and axially projecting end rims or bead 16 which extends above an upper end wall 18 and radially outwardly from a cylindrical side wall 20 of the can. As shown in the drawings the containers or cans are arranged in two rows in the package so that each can is parallel to and adjacent to another can in its own row and a can in the other row.

The carrier device 14 is formed in one piece and is preferably molded from a suitable tough and resilient plastic material. The carrier 14 is provided with an elongated generally flat body 22 adapted to overlie and engage substantial portions of the rims or beads 16 of all the cans as shown best in FIGS. 1 and 2. Means described in detail below are provided for connecting the carrier to the cans so that the cans on the carrier form a package, and handle means is provided for facilitating carrying of the package. In the embodiment shown, the handle means comprises apertures 24 and 26 formed through the body 22 and aligned with spaces between the sides of the cans in the package. The openings 24 and 26 are adapted to receive fingers of a person desiring to carry the package.

In order to connect the carrier device 14 with the containers or cans, means are provided at locations spaced along the body 22 for cooperative engagement with outer and inner surfaces of the container rims 16. More specifically, the body 22 is provided with a series of centrally located and generally hour glass shaped openings 28 positioned for exposing substantial circumferentially extending segments of adjacent or nearly abutting portions of the container rims 16 as shown best in FIG.2. Abutment or shoulder elements 30 are integrally formed with the body 22 and depend therefrom so as to underlie each of the hour-glass openings 28. Each of the elements 30 provides a pair of upwardly facing arcuate shoulders 32 and 34 along opposite side margins thereof. The shoulders 32 and 34 are spaced beneath the under surface of the body 22 a distance similar to the height of the can rims 16. As shown best in FIG. 5, the shoulder surfaces 32 and 34 project beneath and engage the outer and downwardly facing edges of the rims 16 for supporting the cans.

The shoulders 32 and 34 are arcuately or otherwise formed so as to conform to and engage substantial circumferential segments of the rims. Thus, substantial and relatively rigid support is provided beneath the can rims and any tendency of the cans to twist relative to each other and the carrier is retarded. In order further to support and retain the cans or containers in a manner which resists tilting or twisting of the cans relative to the carrier, the elements 30 are formed with relatively wide side surfaces 36 and 38 which conform to and engage substantial circumferentially and axially extending segments of the can bodies. In addition, the body 22 is provided with pairs of lateral extensions 4042 and 44-46 at opposite sides thereof, which extensions are adapted to overlie the areas of substantial abutment of substantially juxtaposed containers. Pins or finger like elements 48 and 50 depend from each of the lateral extensions 4046 for embracing and retaining the substantially abutting portions of the can rims as shown best in FIGS. 2 and 4.

The means for securing the containers with respect to the carrier device 14 further include elements 52 and 54 at opposite sides of each of the elements 30 and adapted to engage inner surfaces of the can rims in the vicinity of the upper end walls of the cans and in opposition to the shoulder surfaces 32 and 34. The elements 52 and 54 respectively present opposing free edges 56 and 58 having a curvature corresponding to the curvature of the inner surfaces of the can rims so that these edges are adapted to conform to and engage the inner surfaces of the can rims.

It is important to note that the elements 52 and 54 are respectively undulated so as to present corrugations projecting below and above the bounding planes of the body 22. The elements 52 is formed so as to provide at least a pair of spaced sections or corrugations 60 and 62 which project downwardly from a body 22 for engaging substantially the full height of the inwardly facing surfaces of the can rims as shown in FIGS. 3 and 5. The sections or corrugations 60 and 62 are integrally joined by an intermediate corrugation 64 which projects upwardly from the plane of the body 22. Each of the elements 54 includes similar corrugations or sections 66 and 68 which project downwardly from the body and are joined by an intermediate upwardly projecting corrugation or section 70.

In the embodiment shown, the corrugations are formed so that the elements 52 and 54 are generally fan shaped and integrally joined to the body 22 along pairs of diverging lines 72-74 and 76-78 respectively. The lines 7274 substantially intersect each other adjacent one longitudinal margin of the body 22 and the lines 76-78 substantially intersect each other adjacent an opposite longitudinal margin of the body. It is further to be noted that the corrugated sections are formed so that they progressively increase in depth or height from the longitudinal outer margins of the body 22 toward inner free edges 56 and 56 of the sections 52 and 54. With this construction the elements 52 and 54 securely and relatively rigidly engage the can rims at circumferentially spaced areas for effectively clamping the cans against the central depending elements 30 whereby accidental disassembly of the cans from the package is prevented.

The containers or cans may be easily and quickly assembled with the carrier device 14 be relatively moving the cans and the carrier together so that the abutment elements 30 are engaged beneath the can rims and the elements 52 and 54 are snapped over the upper edges of the can rims and down along the inner surfaces of the rims. At the same time, the depending fingers or pins 48 and 50 will be moved into proper embracing relationship with the substantially abutting portions of the rims of cans in the same longitudinally extending rows of cans. During such relative movement of the carrier and the cans which will be in a direction extending at least partially transversely with respect to the axes of the cans, the elements 52 and 54 will be engaged by the upper edges of the can rims and cammed or flexed upwardly from their normal positions shown best in FIG. 5 until the upper edges of the rims have passed beneath the edges 56 and 58 of the elements 52 and 54. When this occurs the resiliency of the plastic material causes the elements 52 and 54 to snap downwardly to the position shown. If desired, this inherent action of the elements 52 and 54 may be supplemented by the application of pressure for relatively shifting the elements 52 and 54 and the cans so that the elements fully engage the inner surfaces of the rims. During the aforementioned movement of the cans and the carrier transversely of the can axes, the cans may also be tilted or axially shifted relative to the carrier in order to bring the elements or pins 48 and 50 into embracing relationship with adjacent segments of the can rims.

As previously discussed the aforementioned structure provides a package which may be quickly and easily assembled and which is relatively rigid and may be handled and transported without coming apart accidentally. It is further to be noted that the structure of the carrier device 14 is such as to enable a plurality of the packages to be stacked in a stable manner for display or storage purposes. In this connection it is to be noted that the lateral extensions 40, 42, 44 and 46 of the body 22 project beyond planes containing the axes of the longitudinally extending rows of containers at opposite sides of the package whereby these extensions provide pads for engaging the lower rims of a stacked package and resisting any tendency for the uppermost package to tilt. At the same time, the intermediate corrugations 64 and 70 of the elements 52 and 54 are adapted to project within lower end rims of containers in an upper or stacked package as shown in broken lines in FIG. 5 so that the upper and lower packages are effectively locked against lateral displacement with respect to each other.

In FIGS. 6 through 11 there is shown another embodiment of the present invention which is similar to the structure described above as indicated by the application of identical reference numerals with a sufiix a added to corresponding elements. In this embodiment the generally fan shaped docking elements 52a and 54a are formed so as to present only a single downwardly projecting corrugation having a dished cross section extending substantially completely between the diverging lines 72a74a and 76a-78a. Furthermore, in this embodiment the lines 72a and 74a are curved and join each other to present a substantial portion of a semicircle and the lines 76a and 78a are similarly formed. In fact, in the specific embodiment shown, the locking elements 52a and 54a are substantially in the form of segments of a sphere whereby they are provided with improved strength and rigidity and they may be relatively easily produced.

In the embodiment of FIGS. 6-1l, the carrier is provided with a set of four pins 82, 84, 86 and 88 in association with each set of can locking or retaining elements 52a and 54a. These pins extend upwardly from the horizontal body of the carrier and are preferably tapered or of frusto conical configuration. Furthermore, as shown best in FIG. 7, these pins are disposed so that they will be located closely within projections of the inner circular or cylindrical surfaces of the can rims to which the carrier is applied. Thus, these pins facilitate stacking of a plurality of the packages since they are adapted to enter within the lower rims 80a of an upper package as shown in FIG. 11 so as to prevent the upper package from slipping laterally relative to the lower package.

While the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described herein, it is obvious that many structural details may be changed without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

The invention is claimed as follows:

1. A package comprising a pair of adjacently disposed containers having axially and radially projecting rims at upper ends thereof, and a carrier detachably interconnected with said containers, said carrier comprising a generally horizontally disposed body portion overlying upper ends of the containers, shoulder means depending from said body portion and extending between the containers and engaging beneath the rims thereof, and a pair of elements integral with said body portion and respectively including a plurality of undulations extending transversely of said body portion, each of said elements presenting a free edge facing inwardly and traversing said undulations and engaging an inner surface of an adjacent container rim and cooperating with said shoulder means in securing the containers with respect to the carrier, each of said elements having substantially continuous peripheral edges extending entirely therearound and 'between and substantially to opposite ends of said free edge thereof, and each of said peripheral edges of each of said elements having an integral substantially continuous junction with said body portion.

2. A package comprising a plurality of pairs of adjacently disposed containers having axially and radially projecting rims at upper ends thereof, the containers of each of said pairs being disposed adjacent containers of another of said pairs and with the containers arranged in two rows, and a carrier connected with said containers, said carrier comprising a generally horizontally disposed body portion overlying upper ends of all of said containers, a plurality of shoulder means depending from said body portion, said shoulder means respectively being disposed between the pairs of containers and engaging beneath the rims thereof, and a plurality of pairs of elements integral with said body portion and respectively including a plurality of undulations extending transversely of said body portion, each of said elements presenting a free edge facing inwardly and traversing its undulations and engaging an inner surface of an adjacent container rim and cooperating with an adjacent shoulder means for securing the containers with respect to the carrier, each of said elements having substantially continuous peripheral edges extending entirely therearound and between and substantially to opposite ends of said free edge thereof, and each of said peripheral edges of each of said elements having an integral substantially continuous junction with said body portion.

3. A package comprising a plurality of pairs of adjacently disposed containers having axially and radially projecting rims at upper ends thereof, the containers of each of said pairs being disposed adjacent containers of another of said pairs and with the containers arranged in two rows, and a carrier connected with said containers, said carrier comprising a generally horizontally disposed body portion overlying upper ends of all of said containers, a plurality of shoulder means depending from said body portion, said shoulder means respectively being disposed between the pairs of containers and engaging beneath the rims thereof, a plurality of pairs of elements integral with said body portion and respectively including a plurality of undulations extending transversely of said body portion, each of said elements presenting a free edge facing inwardly and traversing its undulations and engaging an inner surface of an .adjacent container rim and cooperating with an adjacent shoulder means for securing the containers with respect to the carrier, each of said pairs of elements being generally oppositely disposed and presenting their respective free edges for engaging the containers of one of said pair of containers, said carrier body portion including portions overlying adjacent segments of adjacent containers in said rows, and said carrier including pairs of elements depending from said last mentioned portions for embracing rims of said adjacent segments of the containers.

4. A carrier preformed from tough resilient material for at least a pair of adjacently disposed substantially abutting cylindrical containers having axially and radially projecting cylindrical rims at upper ends thereof, comprising a generally horizontally disposed body for overlying upper ends of the adjacently disposed containers, substantially fixed unyielding shoulder means depending from said body for extending between the adjacently disposed containers .and engaging beneath the rims thereof when the carrier is assembled with the containers, and a pair of resilient preformed spring elements joined with said body and respectively including a plurality of undulations extending transversely of said body, each of said elements presenting an arcuate concave free edge facing inwardly and generally opposed to said shoulder means and traversing said undulations for engaging and substantially conforming to an inner cylindrical surface of an adjacent container rim and cooperating with the shoulder means for securing the container with respect to the carrier, each of said free edges having an undulating configuration and having a portion located substantially in the plane of said horizontal body and another portion disposed substantially below said body for engagement with substantially the full axial extent of said inner surfaces of the container rim.

5. A carrier for at least a pair of adjacently disposed containers having axially and radially projecting rims at upper ends thereof, comprising a generally horizontally disposed body for overlying upper ends of the adjacently disposed containers, shoulder means depending from said body for extending between the adjacently disposed containers and engaging beneath the rims thereof when the carrier is assembled with the containers, and a pair of elements joined with said body and respectively including a plurality of undulations extending transversely of said body, each of said elements presenting a free edge facing inwardly and generally opposed to said shoulder means and traversing said undulations for engaging an inner surface of an adjacent container rim and cooperating with the shoulder means for securing the container with respect to the carrier, each of said elements including an undulation projecting below said body and an undulation projecting above said body.

6. A carrier, as defined in claim 4, wherein said undulations of each of said elements progressively increase in depth toward said free edges of the elements.

7. A one-piece preformed carrier molded from tough resilient plastic material for at least a pair of adjacently disposed substantially abutting cylindrical containers having axially and radially projecting cylindrical rims at upper ends thereof, comprising a generally horizontally disposed body for overlying upper ends of the adjacently disposed containers and having opposite side edges, a fixed substantially unyielding element depending from said body and presenting generally upwardly facing shoulder surfaces along opposite sides thereof for engaging beneath the rims of the adjacently disposed containers when the carrier is assembled with the containers, and a pair of resilient spring elements integral with said body portion at opposite sides of said depending element and respectively presenting arcuate concave free edges facing inwardly and in generally opposing relationship with respect to said shoulder surfaces for engaging and substantially conforming to inner cylindrical surfaces of the container rims and cooperating with said shoulder surfaces Efor securing the containers with respect to the carrier, each of said elements having substantially continuous peripheral edges extending entirely therearound and between and substantially to opposite ends of its free edge, each of said peripheral edges of each of said elements having an integral substantially continuous junction with said body, said peripheral edges of each of said elements being substantially in the plane of said body, each of said elements including a corrugation intersecting and extending transversely of its free edge and projecting beneath said body for locating the free edge for engagement with the inner surface of a container rim.

8. A carrier, as defined in claim 7, wherein each of said last mentioned elements includes at least a pair of said corrugations offset from each other for presenting portions of said edges for engaging circumferentially spaced areas of the rims.

9. A carrier for at least a pair of adjacently disposed containers having axially and radially projecting rims at upper ends thereof, comprising a generally horizontally disposed body for overlying upper ends of the adjacently disposed containers, an element depending from said body and presenting generally upwardly facing shoulder surfaces along opposite sides thereof for engaging beneath the rims of the adjacently disposed containers when the carrier is assembled with the containers, and a pair of elements integral with said body portion at opposite sides of said depending element and respectively presenting free edges facing inwardly and in generally opposing relationship with respect to said shoulder surfaces for engaging inner surfaces of the container rims and cooperating With said shoulder surfaces for securing the containers with respect to the carrier, each of said elements including a corrugation intersecting and extending transversely of its free edge and projecting beneath said body for locating the free edge (for engagement with the inner surface of a container rim, each of said last mentioned elements including a second corrugation intersecting and extending transversely of its free edge and projecting above said body.

10. A carrier for at least a pair of adjacently disposed containers having axially and radially projecting rims at upper ends thereof, comprising a generally horizontally disposed body for overlying upper ends of the adjacently disposed containers, an element depending from said body and presenting generally upwardly facing shoulder surfaces along opposite sides thereof for engaging beneath the rims of the adjacently disposed containers when the carrier is assembled with the containers, a pair of elements integral with said body portion at opposite sides of said depending elements and respectively presenting free edges facing inwardly and in generally opposing relationship with respect to said shoulder surfaces for engaging inner surfaces of the container rims and cooperating with said shoulder surfaces for securing the containers with respect to the carrier, each of said pairs of elements including at least a pair of corrugations offset from each other and intersecting and extending transversely of its free edge and projecting beneath said body for locating the free edge for engaging circumferentially spaced areas of the inner surface of a container rim, and each of said last mentioned elements including a third corrugation extending between and joining said pair of corrugations and projecting above said body.

11. A carrier, as defined in claim 7, wherein each of said last mentioned elements is generally fan shaped.

12. A carrier for a plurality of adjacent pairs of adjacent containers having axially and radially projecting rims at ends thereof, comprising a generally horizontally disposed body for at least partially traversing said ends of said containers, a plurality of shoulder elements projecting from said body for extending between the containers of each of said pair of containers when the carrier is assembled with the containers, each of said shoulder elements presenting a pair of elongated shoulder surfaces for engaging beneath substantial circumferential portions of the container rims, and a plurality of pairs of elements integral with said body and respectively presenting free edges and generally opposing relationship with respect to said shoulder surfaces for engaging inner surfaces of adjacent container rims and cooperating with said shoulder surfaces for securing the containers with respect to the carrier, each of said last mentioned elements being generally fan shaped and including a corrugation intersecting and extending transversely of its free edge, each of said fan shaped elements, including side edges having integral substantially continuous junctions with said body.

13. A carrier, as defined in claim 12, wherein each of said fan shaped elements includes corrugations projecting from opposite sides of said body and progressively increasing in depth toward its free edge.

14. A carrier for a plurality of adjacent pairs of adjacent containers having axially and radially projecting rims at ends thereof, comprising a generally horizontally disposed body for at least partially traversing said ends of said containers, a plurality of shoulder elements projecting from said body for extending between the con tainers of each of said pair of containers when the carrier is assembled with the containers, each of said shoulder elements presenting a pair of elongated shoulder surfaces for engaging beneath substantial circumferential portions of the container rims, and a plurality of pairs of elements integral with said body and respectively presenting free edges and generally opposing relationship with respect to said shoulder surfaces for engaging inner surfaces of adjacent container rims and cooperating with said shoulder surfaces for securing the containers with respect to the carrier, each of said last mentioned elements being generally fan shaped and including a corrugation intersecting and extending transversely of its free edge, a plurality of pairs of pin-like elements projecting from said body in the same direction as said first mentioned elements and located between and laterally outwardly offset from said first mentioned elements for embracing substantially abutting rim segments of containers in adjacent pairs of containers.

15. A carrier, as defined in claim 12, wherein each of said shoulder elements includes opposite arcuate side surfaces of substantial transverse length and axial extent for conforming to and engaging sides of the containers.

16. A carrier, as defined in claim 7, wherein each of said elements is generally fan shaped and consists of a single corrugation.

17. A carrier, as defined in claim 7, wherein each of said elements is substantially a segment of a sphere located entirely inwardly of said opposite side edges.

18. A carrier for at least a pair of adjacently disposed containers having axially and radially projecting rims at upper ends thereof, comprising a generally horizontally disposed body for overlying upper ends of the adjacently disposed containers, an element depending from said body and presenting generally upwardly facing shoulder surfaces along opposite sides thereof for engaging beneath the rims of the adjacently disposed containers when the carrier is assembled with the containers, and a pair of elements integral with said body portion at opposite sides of said depending element and respectively presenting free edges facing inwardly and in generally opposing relationship with respect to said shoulder surfaces for engaging inner surfaces of the container rims and cooperating with said shoulder surfaces for securing the containers with respect to the carrier, each of said elements including a corrugation intersecting and extending transversely of its free edge and projecting beneath said body for locating the free edge for engagement with the inner surface of a container rim, a set of pins extending upwardly from said body and located with respect to said elements for entering within lower end rims of containers axially aligned with and stacked on top of containers to which the carrier is applied.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS D. 194,199 12/1962 Poupitch.

1,109,413 9/1914 Gorham 22445 1,811,106 6/1931 Aulbach 22059 2,837,803 6/1958 Wooton 206-65 3,022,888 2/1962 Brunsing 206-65 FOREIGN PATENTS 63,099 1/ 1941 Norway.

THERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner.

EARLE J. DRUMMOND, GEORGE O. RALSTON,

Examiners.

M. L. RICE, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A PACKAGE COMPRISING A PAIR OF ADJACENTLY DISPOSED CONTAINERS HAVING AXIALLY AND RADIALLY PROJECTING RIMS AT UPPER ENDS THEREOF, AND A CARRIER DETACHABLY INTERCONNECTED WITH SAID CONTAINERS, SAID CARRIER COMPRISING A GENERALLY HORIZONTALLY DISPOSED BODY PORTION OVERLYING UPPER ENDS OF THE CONTAINERS, SHOULDER MEANS DEPENDING FROM SAID BODY PORTION AND EXTENDING BETWEEN THE CONTAINERS AND ENGAGING BENEATH THE RIMS THEREOF, AND A PAIR OF ELEMENTS INTEGRAL WITH SAID BODY PORTION AND RESPECTIVELY INCLUDING A PLURALITY OF UNDULATIONS EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY OF SAID BODY PORTION, EACH OF SAID ELEMENTS PRESENTING A FREE EDGE FACING INWARDLY AND TRAVERSING SAID UNDULATIONS AND ENGAGING AN INNER SURFACE OF AN ADJACENT CONTAINER RIM AND COOPERATING WITH SAID SHOULDER MEANS IN SECURING THE CONTAINERS WITH RESPECT TO THE CARRIER, EACH OF SAID ELEMENTS HAVING SUBSTANTIALLY CONTINUOUS PERIPHERAL EDGES EXTENDING ENTIRELY THEREAROUND AND BETWEEN AND SUBSTANTIALLY TO OPPOSITE ENDS OF SAID FREE EDGE THEREOF, AND EACH OF SAID PERIPHERAL EDGES OF EACH OF SAID ELEMENTS HAVING AN INTEGRAL SUBSTANTIALLY CONTINUOUS JUNCTION WITH SAID BODY PORTION. 